Freelance operational manager jobs

The core purpose is to inspire and grow a network of local volunteers, enabling them to champion their churches and organise events that foster community engagement. We are looking for someone who can inspire volunteers to cherish and take responsibility for their local church. Someone who can build relationships with our local communities and engage, support and grow our network of local volunteers.

We need someone who will work closely and enthusiastically with our small team to develop, encourage and enable community use of and care for our historic buildings.

Above all, we need an excellent communicator, and someone who can engender a collaborative working approach.

In supporting and developing our volunteering initiatives, we need someone who will be the organisation’s lead on health and safety, embedding best practice across all operations and ensuring compliance with relevant legislation.

The Volunteering & Community Officer plays a pivotal role in engaging and supporting volunteers to care for historic churches across England and Wales. The position may be full-time or split into two part-time roles, with flexible, home-based working and regular travel to sites.

Do you want to improve the lives of people with disabilities and vulnerable people?

Humanity & Inclusion UK is looking for a Head of Institutional Relations (maternity cover) to lead our engagement with institutional donors, programme partners and allies in the UK. This is a fantastic opportunity to lead a dynamic team in the delivery and implementation of an ambitious institutional relations strategy. With a particular focus on the FCDO and Start Network alongside  growing our Australian and Irish portfolios, you will build partnerships and maximise income and influence to achieve our strategic aims. As a member of the HI UK Leadership Team, you will also play an important role in shaping the culture and direction of the organisation as a whole.

Background Information and Purpose of Post

The Head of Institutional Relations leads HI’s engagement with institutional donors, programme partners and allies in the UK, working closely with colleagues from across the global HI Federation, including our country programmes and our technical departments.

You will lead a dynamic team in the delivery and implementation of an ambitious institutional relations strategy. With a particular focus on the FCDO and Start Network alongside growing our Australian and Irish portfolios, you will build partnerships and maximise income and influence to achieve our strategic aims. This will involve managing relations with a wide range of actors, building our profile and responding quickly and effectively to opportunities. You will oversee and strengthen our compliance with donor requirements, ensure our programmes are effectively supported to implement grants and consolidate our capacity to bid for and manage commercial contracts.

As a member of the HI UK Leadership Team, you will also play an important role in shaping the culture and direction of the organisation as a whole.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

Leadership and management

• Implement our ambitious plan for institutional relations, staying aligned with the organisation’s objectives and responding appropriately to the external environment.
• Contribute to the implementation of the network-wide institutional funding strategy.
• Lead, empower and motivate your team to achieve their goals, providing support as needed.
• Manage the team budget, including planning, phasing and forecasting in line with the organisation’s financial procedures.
• Participate as an active and constructive member of the Leadership Team, promoting a positive culture, modelling excellent behaviour and supporting cross-organisational initiatives.
• Provide timely and accurate reporting to the Chief Executive, trustees and Federation as required.

Institutional Relations

• Lead the team in ambitious engagement strategies for all donors in the portfolio, particularly the FCDO, Start Network, Australian DFAT and Irish Aid, strengthening existing relationships and, where appropriate, developing new ones.
• Ensure the team develops and maintains expertise on UK donor priorities, expectations and compliance requirements and is proactively analysing, interpreting and sharing this knowledge internally with relevant colleagues across the Federation.
• With your team, build the ability of our country programmes to engage with our donors locally and to comply with donor requirements, including through training.
• Oversee the process of identifying, analysing and sharing new funding opportunities with relevant colleagues, taking a lead when needed on coordinating large multi-country/framework bids to our donors.
• Maintain a network of contacts at other organisations and, working closely with operational and technical colleagues, build relationships with potential partners, including supporting the development of consortia for new bids when required.
• Contribute to building HI’s capacity to bid for and manage commercial contracts, including frameworks.
• Support the team with risk-based contract analysis and negotiation, due diligence and donor compliance.
• Ensure your team is delivering timely and high-quality reporting and grant/contract management, including follow-up of payment requests and tracking.
• Oversee the team’s information management tools and champion HI-wide internal processes and tools such as the CRM.
• Participate in the Bond Disability and Development Group, including supporting its influencing to promote greater emphasis on disability inclusion by the UK Government.
• Monitor and respond to threats and opportunities relating to the UK aid budget and aid policy, as well as for other donors in our portfolio where capacity allows.
• Support your team, the Chief Executive and technical colleagues to engage appropriately with other relevant networks in the UK to influence the UK government and raise HI’s profile (e.g. on specific crisis contexts, the impact of counter-terrorism legislation, health, education, humanitarian mine action, climate change etc.).
• Contribute to engaging with the Start Network and implementing our Start Network strategy.

Other duties

• Maintain a positive and collaborative working relationship with HI UK colleagues and the Federation’s institutional funding, operations and advocacy teams.
• Represent the organisation at relevant external events and meetings.

· Keep abreast of developments within the sector by liaising with counterparts in other NGOs and relevant networks.

• Keep up to date with any relevant changes in legislation, regulatory procedures, innovation, best practice and industry standards.
• Any other activities commensurate with the level of the post, as may be required.

Person Specification

We genuinely value diversity and are looking to build a team of people with a wide of range of personal and professional experience. If you don’t meet all of the criteria listed below but feel you would be a good candidate for this role, please apply. If you would like an informal conversation about this, please do send us an email or call us – we would love to hear from you.

Essential criteria

· Substantial relevant experience with INGOs, including at least five years’ experience managing strategic relationships with donors, partners and/or networks.

· A track record of securing and managing institutional income.

· Good knowledge of the FCDO as a donor and influencing target.

· Excellent management skills, including the ability to provide appropriate support and to develop colleagues’ capabilities.

· Excellent relationship-building, networking and negotiation skills, both internal and external, and at a variety of levels.

· Demonstrated capacity to design and deliver high-quality proposals, reports and briefs.

· An entrepreneurial thinker with a strong ability to identify opportunities, cultivate prospects and achieve strategic aims.

· Ability to carry out sound strategic analysis, identifying key trends and producing clear summaries from complex information.

· Good understanding of project design, programme quality and effective delivery.

· Excellent planning skills and an ability to work under pressure, to prioritise and to meet standards and deadlines.

· A collaborative and team-oriented approach with strong self-motivation.

· Ability to work effectively in an international and multicultural organisation.

· Willingness to travel and to work outside of office hours when necessary.

· Good IT skills (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams).

· Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.

· Commitment to creating and maintaining an inclusive and protective environment for everyone that comes in contact with the organisation.

Desirable criteria

· A track record of securing and managing funding from, building relationships with and influencing DFAT and/or Irish Aid

· Good knowledge of the Start Network

· Experience of bidding for and managing commercial contracts for humanitarian and development programmes.

· Experience of cross-organisational leadership.

· Understanding of key humanitarian and development issues.

· Understanding of and experience of advocacy or campaigns, including working with the UK political system.

· Experience of developing NGO or academic partnerships.

· Lived experience of disability or from one of our countries of operation.

· French-language proficiency.

Equal Opportunities Policy

HI UK is committed to diversity and inclusion. We recognise that discrimination shapes the opportunities that many people have in society and that people have different needs in order to realise their full potential.

Addressing this requires organisations to be proactive in creating environments that encourage the inclusion and development of all. Though we still have a long way to go, inclusion is central to our identity at HI UK and we are strongly committed to the continuous work that it requires.

We are particularly interested in hearing from candidates with disabilities and/or from Black and minority ethnic backgrounds, to help make us more representative. If you declare a disability and you meet the minimum requirements for the role, we will offer you an interview to demonstrate your skills. In the event that we receive a high level of applications for a role, we will invite those applicants who best meet the person specification.

Harris Hill is delighted to be working with Liverpool Zoe’s Place (LZP) to recruit its first Chief Executive Officer.

Zoe's Place was founded in Liverpool in 1995 as the first hospice in the UK specifically providing for the needs of babies and younger children. Liverpool Zoe’s Place (LZP) was established in December 2024 and took over full responsibility for the management of the hospice on May 1st 2025. In late 2024 the people of Liverpool, the North West, and even further afield helped us to raise more than £7,000,000 to secure the future of our hospice, and to build a state-of-the-art new facility in West Derby.

Our team of specialist nurses and healthcare assistants are supported by a wide range of other healthcare professionals to provide respite care, therapies and bereavement care to babies and children with life-limiting and life-threatening conditions, and their families.

As Chief Executive, you will:

· Bring inspirational leadership to the LZP.

· Manage, plan and implement LZP’s strategy.

· Ensure the Hospice provides and promotes excellent clinical care.

If you are inspired and excited by what Liverpool Zoe’s Place does, we’d love to hear from you.

Job title: Chief Executive Officer

Salary: £75,000 - £80,000 p.a.

Contract: Permanent / Full-time

Location: Zoe's Place, Yew Tree Lane, West Derby, Liverpool, L12 9HH

How to apply:

Please review the Recruitment Pack for further information about Liverpool Zoe’s Place, the CEO position and for details on how to apply.

Closing date for applications: 9am, Friday 13th February 2026

Both Liverpool Zoe’s Place and Harris Hill operate an equal opportunity policy and commit to treating all of our candidates and jobseekers fairly. We welcome and encourage applications from everyone regardless of age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief and marriage and civil partnerships.

We are proud to be supporting the leading independent grant making foundation in the West Midlands and Warwickshire, in their search for a Chief Operating Officer.

They nurture philanthropy, connecting people who care with incredible causes that matter. They help unlock the resources to tackle local issues, and support people and communities to thrive across the region.

They are recruiting for a new position, a Chief Operating Officer, to support the CEO, having overall accountability for the organisation’s operations. The COO will play a pivotal role in implementing their strategy, aimed at improving operational efficiency and diversifying income streams.

Chief Operating Officer 

£60,000-£65,000 + benefits  

Hybrid working, 2 days in the office in Coventry

The COO will ensure that ways of working are as effective as possible, enabling the team to meet their ambitions and modernise their internal operations and governance, freeing up capacity for the CEO to build strong relationships with donors and partners working with communities.

Key responsibilities include: 

• Play a central role as a member of the executive team in the overall leadership, strategic direction and governance of the Foundation. 
• Work with the whole team to implement the organisational strategy and business plan.

• Lead on the development of the grant making strategy, ensuring processes are efficient, compliant and deliver an outstanding experience for applicants and donors.
• Oversee the day-to-day operational management of the Foundation, ensuring systems, policies and processes are appropriate and effective.

• Oversee fundholder relationships, demonstrating value and impact whilst overseeing performance against programme delivery commitments.

• Oversee research, insight and impact inputs and ensure effective horizon scanning for emerging trends and technologies.

• Oversee HR and marketing strategies to strengthen the culture and visibility.

As COO, you will have a strong commitment to the mission and values of the foundation, with a passion for making a difference to the lives of people in the West Midlands and Warwickshire. You will need Senior management experience within a nonprofit, charitable or comparable grant-making organisation, evidenced by successful strategic planning and execution.

How to Apply 

To apply for the role, please upload your CV together with a supporting statement (of no more than 1000 words) onto the Prospectus website via the link below.  
  
Please ensure that you have included a telephone number, as well as any dates when you will not be available or might have difficulty with the recruitment timetable.  
  
If you wish to apply using an alternative format, please contact Prospectus.  
If you would like to have an informal conversation about the role, please contact our retained partners. 
  
At Prospectus we believe passionately that a truly inclusive workplace leads to increased social impact. We are committed to supporting our clients build more inclusive teams. To understand how we are performing, we ask that you kindly complete the brief equal opportunities questionnaire when you submit your application via our website. Please be assured that your responses are kept confidential, separate from your candidate record, are not part of any application you make, and that the consultants never see individual responses to the questionnaire. 

Recruitment Timetable 

Deadline for applications: Sunday 8th Feb (midnight) 

Interviews with Prospectus: 24th Feb – 2nd March

First stage interviews with the foundation: 17th and 19th March

Second stage with the foundation: 24th March

Director of Finance and IT
London (Camden) | Hybrid working
Salary £90,000
Full time (37.5 hours) or 4 days per week considered

Thomson Foundation is an independent, globally respected organisation with over 60 years’ experience supporting free, ethical and trusted journalism around the world. At a time when reliable information has never mattered more, Thomson’s work is both impactful and deeply values-driven.

They are now seeking a Director of Finance and IT to join the senior leadership team at an exciting point in the organisation’s evolution.

This is a rare opportunity for a senior finance leader who enjoys combining strategic leadership while also being able to provide hands on support. You will work closely with the CEO, Board and senior colleagues to shape future strategy, while also getting into the detail to understand how things work today and where they can be improved tomorrow.

You will thrive in this role if you enjoy making your mark: strengthening systems, improving automation, streamlining processes and building robust, proportionate controls that suit a small, international organisation. This is not a role where you sit at arm’s length from the detail – you will be curious, practical and comfortable rolling up your sleeves, whether that’s reviewing processes, posting journals, improving reporting or driving smarter use of technology.

Alongside financial leadership, you will oversee IT, risk, compliance and governance across the Thomson Group, working with outsourced providers and internal colleagues to ensure systems are secure, efficient and fit for purpose. You will play a key role in delivering the Finance and Technology Transformation Plan, helping the organisation operate more effectively and sustainably as it continues to grow and adapt.

Thomson has a small, welcoming team and a collaborative, non-hierarchical culture. You will be joining an organisation where people are trusted, ideas are welcomed and impact really matters. The role is based in Camden, with hybrid working two days per week in the office.

This role will suit someone who is:
• equally comfortable thinking strategically and working hands on
• motivated by improving systems, automation and ways of working
• curious, detail-oriented and happy to implement change
• values-led and excited by working in a mission-driven, international charity

If you are looking for a senior leadership role where you can genuinely influence, improve and help shape the future of a highly respected organisation, this is an outstanding opportunity.

How to Apply

For more information, please contact Rosemary Pini at Allen Lane who is supporting on this role and happy to answer any questions.

Please apply by sending CV and supporting statement before 1st February

Civis Foundation (UK) has partnered with AEA Consulting for the recruitment of the Programme Officer.

Civis Foundation invests in arts and letters, cultural preservation, and community development initiatives. Initially established in the US, the foundation is launching a UK-based charitable entity in 2026 to expand its mission across Commonwealth countries, with a particular focus on the United Kingdom, Jamaica, Barbados, and cities such as London and Liverpool.

The work of the Foundation is rooted in the belief that understanding "the other", both within ourselves and in our communities, is essential to personal fulfilment and social transformation. Through partnerships with artists, cultural institutions, municipalities, and community organisations, the Foundation creates opportunities for engagement that transcend boundaries, cultivating compassion and advancing justice.

The newly formed London office will serve as a hub for adaptive reuse of heritage buildings, artistic commissioning, and community investment throughout the Commonwealth. We view artistic expression as a starting point for rekindling democracy - work that urges us to consider the needs of the other, their lived experience, and perspective. We champion projects that address complex historical narratives and create space for genuine dialogue, helping us imagine how we might live together.

The UK charitable foundation will serve purposes including the advancement of education, cultural preservation, and the advancement of citizenship and community development.

Programme Officer (UK) – Role Description

Working closely with and reporting to the President and CEO of Civis Foundation (US and UK), the UK Programme Officer will support the Foundation with the launch and scaling up of its operations in the UK.

The Programme Officer will be responsible for the day-to-day operations of the UK Foundation, relationship development, and project management. The management of the initial activity of the Foundation in the UK will include:

• Relationship building: Extensive outreach to potential partners across arts, preservation, municipal, and community sectors in London, Liverpool, Jamaica, and Barbados. Secure introductions and meetings for the President and CEO, and explore potential programme collaborations.

• Partner collaboration: Work with strategic consulting partners to support business planning and programme development.

• Operating budget and core grant application development: Prepare a comprehensive grant request to Civis Foundation New York for initial capitalization, including a three-year operational budget.

• Financial management and reporting: Support preparation of annual accounts, supplier management and payments, and monitor budgets and cash flow.

• Operational and administrative support: Work with the President and CEO of Civis Foundation and other relevant staff and consultants on ad-hoc administrative support, meetings and diary coordination, and to put in place systems and processes for the full launch of the UK operations.

• Evaluation and monitoring: Develop a "light-touch" but effective framework for measuring impact and tracking relevant metrics.

Key competencies and required skillset to succeed in this role include:

• Demonstrate understanding of the UK non-profit landscape, specifically within social justice, arts, or community/urban development context, with at least 7-10 years of project and programme management experience in one or more of these fields.

• Bring a strong network in one or more relevant fields in the UK: social justice, arts, or community/urban development.

• Excellent project management skills, including fluency with software packages (MS Office, project management) and relevant AI tools.

• Financial literacy (including budgeting and cash flow management).

• Working knowledge of the governance and legal regulation in the UK charitable sector.

• Knowledge of and interest in the current agenda around civic and social development, education, and the role of arts and culture in social change, heritage preservation, and urban development.

• Comfortable working independently and across time zones.

• Clear and respectful communicator with excellent interpersonal and collaboration skills.

• Detail-oriented, proactive, and accountable.

• Self-motivating and willing to balance strategy with daily administration.

We expect this to be a part-time role for the initial 12 months of operations, with potential to scale up to a full-time role in 2027.

Compensation & Benefits:

Compensation: £60,000-£67,000 a year (Full-Time Equivalent), dependent on experience.

Actual Salary: £42,000-£47,600 a year for 25 hours per week (0.7 FTE) pro rata.

Working hours: 25 hours per week. Flexible, with some adjustment to both UK and US time zones.

Annual leave: 22 days (28 days including bank holidays, pro rata.)

Pension: 8% employer contribution.

Hybrid working: remote/working from home, with regular access to a coworking/office space in London and for attendance of in-person meetings in London.

Training and development: Annual budget for professional development, conference attendance, etc.

Application Process:

To apply, please submit your CV and complete three questions on the Applied platform.

Application deadline: 10:00am (GMT) on 2 February 2026

Provisional interview dates with shortlisted candidates: 16-27 February 2026

The selection process will follow three stages: 1. Online interview 2. Technical interview 3. Final presentation and interview with CEO.

Indicative start date: March 2026

We believe a diverse workforce is a stronger workforce. We encourage applications from all backgrounds, ensuring fair treatment and opportunity for everyone. Selection is based solely on merit, ability, and fitness for the role.

East End Homes is partnering exclusively with Robertson Bell in their search for a permanent Senior Finance Business Partner.

East End Homes is a leading housing provider dedicated to building sustainable communities through high-quality homes, exceptional services, and operational excellence. Every member of the team shares a common mission: to improve lives through quality housing and outstanding support. Their strategic vision focuses on developing sustainable communities, increasing operational efficiency, and fostering innovation and community engagement.

They are now seeking an experienced Senior Finance Business Partner to take full accountability for delivering strategic financial insights and support across the organisation. This pivotal leadership role will enable the Financial Controller to focus on broader strategic priorities, while ensuring robust financial management, insightful analysis, and effective governance throughout the organisation.

Key responsibilities include:

• Partnering with budget holders across the organisation to develop budgets, forecasts, and reports that inform strategic decision-making.
• Enhancing the quality, accuracy, and timeliness of financial data to create a more forward-looking, insight-driven finance function.
• Lead on the production of end-to-end management accounting.
• Leading ongoing improvements in financial systems, processes, and reporting to drive efficiencies and foster better collaboration.
• Providing financial leadership during key projects, including refining forecasting accuracy and streamlining year-end procedures.
• Acting as a trusted adviser to the senior leadership team, clearly communicating financial risks, opportunities, and insights.

The Ideal Candidate Will Demonstrate:

• Proven experience working directly with budget holders and engaging senior stakeholders.
• Strong expertise in budgeting, forecasting, and financial planning & analysis
• The ability to manage and develop a finance team, with a focus on process improvements.
• Experience in the social housing sector
• Fully qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA, or equivalent).
• A collaborative, proactive approach with the resilience to work effectively under pressure.

The role offers a generous 33 days on annual leave, highly competitive pension and a flexible hybrid working model, requiring a minimum of three days per week at the head office located at 3 Resolution Plaza, London E1 6PS.

The closing date for applications is 7th December, but applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis - early submission is highly recommended.

Please submit your CV to Robertson Bell, East End Homes’ exclusive recruitment partner.